ISN'T LIFE JUICY?
by ClariceLecter
Summary: When Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley takes yet another shot to the head on RAW, Shane McMahon hatches a plot to steal ECW away from her. But there's two problems: One, RVD figures out what's going on, and Two, Paul Heyman is in love with the "Billion-Dollar


ISN'T LIFE JUICY?  
a WWF fic by Clarice_Lecter  
  
DISCLAIMER: My previous fic, ECW STANDS TALL, will be continued in a couple of weeks. For now, this is yet another take on the Paul Heyman/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley storyline, and what the WWF Creative Team should do with it.   
World Wrestling Federation Entertainment owns these characters, and no infringement of any kind is intended. This story is set on the 10/8 edition of RAW.  
  
Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley had taken yet another shot to the head, barely two weeks after she got knocked around on SMACKDOWN. This time, it was Booker T, one of the WCW guys, who'd inflicted the chair shot. It had been meant for Chris Jericho, his opponent on this night, and it was feared that Stephanie would have a concussion.  
Before Mike Awesome, Tommy Dreamer, and the others could get to her, Paul Heyman had thrown down the headset and was hovering over her, cradling her in his arms as if to shield her from further abuse. When Awesome, Dreamer and the others came to help her backstage, Paul screamed at them to stay away from her.  
"What the Hell is Heyman doing?" Jim Ross told the viewers in a perplexed tone. "The other Alliance guys came out to help her, just like SMACKDOWN!"  
"For God's sake, Paul, what's wrong with you?" Tommy Dreamer finally asked.  
"I'll take care of her!" Paul fumed, tenderly lifting Stephanie in his arms like a newborn and starting for the back. "If you wanna help, tell Tazz to get his ass out here and take the headset!"  
"Paul - !" Test pleaded, only to be cut off.  
"Just do it!"  
Dreamer, Test, Awesome, and Shawn Stasiak were left standing in shock, as were Booker T and even Y2J, as Paul carried the unconscious Stephanie to the back.  
  
In the WCW locker room, Shane McMahon was talking to someone on his cell phone. "I'm tellin' ya it'll work!" Shane told whoever he was talking to. "The more shots to the head Steph takes, the more she'll realize that running her half of the Alliance is no place for a woman to be!"  
"What?!" JR piped up at ringside. "S-Shane's actually HAPPY his sister got hurt?"  
The cell phone talk continued. "Just sit tight, dude, it's only a matter of time," Shane continued. "By the time she gets through gettin' in and out of the hospital, Steph'll be BEGGING us to take ECW off her hands! It's perfect!"  
Now JR was totally apopleptic. "Th-this is HIDEOUS!!!" JR now said. "Shane McMahon's got a conspiracy going against HIS OWN SISTER!!!"  
As Shane clicked off his cell phone, RVD entered the WCW locker room. "Shane, y'gotta come quick!" RVD said. "Booker T put a chairshot on Stephanie during his match with Y2J - she might have a concussion!"  
Upon hearing this, Shane feigned concern. "What? Oh my God!" Shane replied. "Who's with her now?"  
"Paul Heyman! And he won't let any of us near her - he took her to the back himself!"   
A sick chill crept up in Shane's stomach. "Heyman left ringside?"   
"Yeah! He ain't left her side for a minute!"  
"Duh!" JR fumed.  
Shane gently patted Rob's shoulder. "Next time you see Heyman, tell him I'm proud of him for protecting my sister," he said. "I'll see about her later, okay?"  
"You sure?" RVD now asked.  
"I'm sure. You just get ready for your match with Edge."  
As RVD left, Shane got out his cell phone again. "Man, we've got trouble," he now said. "I think Paul Heyman's getting wise to us..."  
  
In the medics' station, Paul softly held Stephanie's hand as the EMTs checked her. "We're gonna have to take her to the hospital," the first medic said. "She looks to have a mild concussion...she'll have to stay overnight, at least."  
"Not to mention a few knives that's fixing to go in her back!" JR said angrily. By now Tazz had joined him at ringside.  
"Who the Hell was Shane-O talking to on that cell phone?" Tazz replied.   
"I have no idea! Either way, Tazz, your buddy's sticking to Stephanie like glue! And I never thought I'd say this, but right now that's the best place for her to be!"  
Stephanie was still wobbly when she stood, so Paul once again lifted her in his arms and carried her to the waiting ambulance. She wrapped her arms around her neck, happy that he had stayed with her and grateful to him for protecting her all night.  
When they got to the ambulance, Stephanie was helped onboard before Paul got in with her. By the time the ambulance was rolling out of the arena, Shane and Booker T had finally come out to see her.   
As the ambulance left, Booker turned to Shane. "How long do you think it'll be?" he asked.  
"First things first, Book," Shane replied. "We've gotta take Heyman out for good. Then ECW will be ours."  
"How do we do that?"  
"'How do we do that?'" JR mocked. "Please."  
"Don't worry, we'll find a way..."  
Finally, Shane and Booker headed back to the locker room, unaware that RVD had overheard everything.  
As the camera panned on "The Whole F'n Show," the look of worry on his face turned into betrayal. He got out his own cell phone seconds later.  
"Hello? Can you put me through to Joel Gertner? Thanks," he now said.  
"Oh, HELL!" Tazz exclaimed. "He's callin' GERTNER!!!"  
  
An hour later at the hospital, Stephanie smiled as Paul gave her a glass of water. "How're you feeling?" he asked.  
Stephanie took a sip, then rubbed her aching head. "I hurt like Hell," she replied. "Did Shane ever get here?"  
"No. Rob said awhile ago that Shane would see about you, but he's never showed up...."  
Stephanie reached for Paul's hand, thankful that they were now in a private room so she could rest. "You didn't have to leave ringside for me," she whispered. "Thanks..."  
"It's the second time in two weeks he's left ringside to see about her!" JR now said. "I thought he was just sucking up!"  
"I did it because I care about you," Paul admitted. "I've always cared about you, and I hate seeing you get hurt..."  
Stephanie's smile deepened. "I know you care about me. You tell me every day you care about me..."  
Paul now began to kiss her fingertips, softly and slowly. "I feel like telling you isn't enough anymore...I want to show you..."  
Paul began kissing the back of Stephanie's hand, then turning it over so he could kiss her palm, her wrist...up her arm...  
"Good Godalmighty, what's got into him JR?" Tazz asked, his tone full of surprise as Paul continued kissing Stephanie.  
It didn't take someone with a genius IQ to figure it out. "I'll be damned, he's in love," JR realized.  
The surprised look on Stephanie's face soon turned into a loving warmth. "Paul," she began, feeling the ache in her voice as Paul's lips finally reached hers.   
He pecked her lips softly, then leaned up to kiss her bruised forehead, her eyebrows, the tip of her nose...finally, Stephanie touched his face, looking at the chunky, ponytailed man with new eyes.  
She could see love in his sparkling black eyes, a love he had kept secret ever since he joined the WWF. Recently he'd tried to hide it via his borderline orgasmic fawning over Stacy Keibler, but there was no concealing it now.  
As the crowd watching at the arena exploded in a huge pop normally reserved for the babyfaces, Stephanie melted as Paul's lips crushed hotly against hers. Her mouth opened under his, her tongue meeting his, her left hand resting on his back while her right hand scooted inside his shirt.  
At the broadcast table, JR and Tazz were speechless, especially when Stephanie began to undo the rest of Paul's shirt buttons so she could feel his warm, furry chest with both hands. Their blistering kisses were even hotter than when Kurt Angle had pursued her the year before...  
Stephanie melted into the bed, melted in Paul's arms as RAW went off the air...   
  
THE END...? 


End file.
